System and method for resolving user identification

ABSTRACT

A system and method obtain a recording of an interaction with a user and a screen recording related to the interaction; extract, from the screen recording, a unique identification value related to the user; resolve the identity of the user using the extracted unique identification value; and associate the user with the recorded interaction by associating the unique identification value with the interaction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to resolving user identification(ID). More specifically, the present invention relates to using a screenrecording related to an interaction in order to associate a user with arecording of the interaction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Organizations, businesses and systems (e.g., customer services andcontact centers) that record interactions with customers or otherentities typically need to maintain a clear correlation between theirrecorded interactions and the customers, users or end-users who wererecorded. Recorded interaction may be of any type, e.g., voice, video orchat. In addition, a list or an association of recorded interactions ofa user or customer is highly desired by businesses and systems thatrecord interactions with customers.

Today, many businesses and systems that record interactions withcustomers have a large amount of legacy data that includes recordedinteractions that are not associated with customers, users or end-users.For example, it may be that when a recording of an interaction was madethe recoding was not associated with a customer and therefore, adatabase may include or store a recording that cannot be linked,associated or connected with a specific customer or user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In some embodiments, a recording of an interaction with a user and ascreen recording related to the interaction may be obtained; a unique IDvalue related to the user may be extracted from the screen recording;the identity of the user may be determined or resolved using theextracted unique ID value; and the user may be associated or linked withthe recorded interaction by associating the unique ID value with theinteraction.

The unique ID value and information in a database may be used in orderto resolve or determine a unique user identifier of the user; and uniqueuser identifier to may be used to associate or link the recordedinteraction with the user. Obtaining a recording of an interaction and ascreen recording may include searching a database for interactionrecordings that are associated with screen recordings. A voice print maybe created based on a recorded interaction; and the voice print may beused in order to associate additional recorded interactions with theuser.

A graphical user interface (GUI) configuration tool may be used toreceive, from a user, an indication of a location of a unique ID valuein a screen presented by an application. A first unique user identifierof a first type may be obtained, for a first user; a second unique useridentifier of a second type may be obtained, for a second user; and arespective first and second unique ID values, of the same type, may bedetermined based on the first and second unique user identifiers. Aframe in the screen recording may be analyzed in order to determine;whether or not the frame includes a predefined portion of a predefinedscreen; and, if the frame does not include the predefined portion of apredefined screen then an additional frame of the screen recording maybe processed, and if the frame includes the predefined portion of apredefined screen then a unique ID value may be extracted from theframe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation,together with objects, features and advantages thereof, may best beunderstood by reference to the following detailed description when readwith the accompanied drawings. Embodiments of the invention areillustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicatecorresponding, analogous or similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows high level block diagram of an exemplary computing deviceaccording to illustrative embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an overview of a system according to illustrative embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary screenshot of an application according toillustrative embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an overview of a system and flows according to illustrativeembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a method according to embodiments ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a method according to embodiments ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a method according to embodiments ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a method according to illustrativeembodiments of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn accuratelyor to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may beexaggerated relative to other elements for clarity, or several physicalcomponents may be included in one functional block or element. Further,where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated amongthe figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that thepresent invention may be practiced without these specific details. Inother instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components,modules, units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so asnot to obscure the invention. Some features or elements described withrespect to one embodiment may be combined with features or elementsdescribed with respect to other embodiments. For the sake of clarity,discussion of same or similar features or elements may not be repeated.

Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard,discussions utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulates and/or transforms datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information non-transitory storage medium thatmay store instructions to perform operations and/or processes. Althoughembodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard, the terms“plurality” and “a plurality” as used herein may include, for example,“multiple” or “two or more”. The terms “plurality” or “a plurality” maybe used throughout the specification to describe two or more components,devices, elements, units, parameters, or the like. The term set whenused herein may include one or more items. Unless explicitly stated, themethod embodiments described herein are not constrained to a particularorder or sequence. Additionally, some of the described methodembodiments or elements thereof can occur or be performedsimultaneously, at the same point in time, or concurrently.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, showing a high level block diagram of anexemplary computing device according to some embodiments of the presentinvention. Computing device 100 may include a controller 105 that maybe, for example, a central processing unit processor (CPU), a chip orany suitable computing or computational device, an operating system 115,a memory 120, executable code 125, a storage system 130, input devices135 and output devices 140. Controller 105 (or one or more controllersor processors, possibly across multiple units or devices) may beconfigured to carry out methods described herein, and/or to execute oract as the various modules, units, etc. More than one computing device100 may be included, and one or more computing devices 100 may act asthe various components, for example the components shown in FIG. 2. Forexample association unit 215 described herein may be, or may includecomponents of, computing device 100. For example, by executingexecutable code 125 stored in memory 120, controller 105 may beconfigured to carry out a method of associating a user with aninteraction as described herein. For example, controller 105 may beconfigured to obtain a screen recording, extract or determining a uniqueID value related to a user from the screen recording, use the unique IDvalue in order to determine or resolve the identity of the user and toassociate or link the user with a the screen recording and/or with arecorded interaction. A unique ID may be unique within a particularcomputing environment or database. Associating or linking a user with ascreen recording and/or with a recorded interaction may includeassigning the screen recording and/or recorded interaction to the user.

Operating system 115 may be or may include any code segment (e.g., onesimilar to executable code 125 described herein) designed and/orconfigured to perform tasks involving coordination, scheduling,arbitration, supervising, controlling or otherwise managing operation ofcomputing device 100, for example, scheduling execution of softwareprograms or enabling software programs or other modules or units tocommunicate. Operating system 115 may be a commercial operating system.

Memory 120 may be or may include, for example, a Random Access Memory(RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a SynchronousDRAM (SD-RAM), a double data rate (DDR) memory chip, a Flash memory, avolatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, ashort term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitablememory units or storage units. Memory 120 may be or may include aplurality of, possibly different memory units. Memory 120 may be acomputer or processor non-transitory readable medium, or a computernon-transitory storage medium, e.g., a RAM.

Executable code 125 may be any executable code, e.g., an application, aprogram, a process, task or script. Executable code 125 may be executedby controller 105 possibly under control of operating system 115. Forexample, executable code 125 may be an application that associates auser with an interaction or assigns an interaction to a user as furtherdescribed herein. Although, for the sake of clarity, a single item ofexecutable code 125 is shown in FIG. 1, a system according to someembodiments of the invention may include a plurality of executable codesegments similar to executable code 125 that may be loaded into memory120 and cause controller 105 to carry out methods described herein. Forexample, units or modules described herein (e.g., association unit 215)may be, or may include, controller 105, memory 120 and executable code125.

Storage system 130 may be or may include, for example, a hard diskdrive, a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD) drive, a CD-Recordable(CD-R) drive, a Blu-ray disk (BD), a universal serial bus (USB) deviceor other suitable removable and/or fixed storage unit. Content may bestored in storage system 130 and may be loaded from storage system 130into memory 120 where it may be processed by controller 105. In someembodiments, some of the components shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted. Forexample, memory 120 may be a non-volatile memory having the storagecapacity of storage system 130. Accordingly, although shown as aseparate component, storage system 130 may be embedded or included inmemory 120.

Input devices 135 may be or may include a mouse, a keyboard, a touchscreen or pad or any suitable input device. It will be recognized thatany suitable number of input devices may be operatively connected tocomputing device 100 as shown by block 135. Output devices 140 mayinclude one or more displays or monitors (e.g., on which screens aredisplayed), speakers and/or any other suitable output devices. It willbe recognized that any suitable number of output devices may beoperatively connected to computing device 100 as shown by block 140. Anyapplicable input/output (I/O) devices may be connected to computingdevice 100 as shown by blocks 135 and 140. For example, a wired orwireless network interface card (NIC), a printer, a universal serial bus(USB) device or external hard drive may be included in input devices 135and/or output devices 140.

A system according to some embodiments of the invention may includecomponents such as, but not limited to, a plurality of centralprocessing units (CPU) or any other suitable multi-purpose or specificprocessors or controllers (e.g., controllers similar to controller 105),a plurality of input units, a plurality of output units, a plurality ofmemory units, and a plurality of storage units. A system mayadditionally include other suitable hardware components and/or softwarecomponents. In some embodiments, a system may include or may be, forexample, a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, aworkstation, a server computer, a network device, or any other suitablecomputing device. For example, a system as described herein may includeone or more devices such as computing device 100.

A system and method according to some embodiments of the invention mayleverage screen recordings, e.g., stored in a database on site forextracting or determining valuable end-user information from recordedscreen activity. For example and as described, metadata or identifiersof a user such as a social security number (SSN), an account ID, anelectronic mail address (email), a telephone number and the like may beextracted or determined from a screen recording. A system and methodaccording to some embodiments of the invention may associate anidentified user with a recorded interaction, or assign an interaction toa user as further described herein.

Reference is made to FIG. 2 that shows a schematic block diagram of asystem 200 according to illustrative embodiments of the presentinvention. As shown, a system 200 may include an association unit 215and a storage system 220. As shown, storage system 220 may include orstore recorded interactions 230, screen recordings 240, an associationlist 250, screen metadata 270 and user metadata 260.

Applications 280 and 281 may be any applications used when interactingwith customers, callers and the like. For example, application 280 maybe a desktop or server-based application used by agents in a contactcenter when the agents talk to, or serve, callers or customers as knownin the art and application 281 may be a web based application used bysales representatives in an organization as known in the art. Forexample, as known in the art, contact centers and other organizationsuse applications that provides an agent with information related to acaller or customer, e.g., an application that interacts with a customerrelation management (CRM) system, for example, when a call comes in,application 280 may retrieve from a CRM or other database the name,purchase history and other information of the caller and present thisinformation to an agent who is handling the call. Application 280 mayalso enable the agent to record information, e.g., record a purchase,complain etc. A screen recording as described herein (e.g., included inscreen recordings 240) may be a recording (e.g., a set of frames asknown in the art) of a screen presented to an agent such thatinteractions of the agent with application 280 are recorded as well aspossibly, any information presented to the agent. For example, a screenrecording may be a digital recording of a computer screen output asknown in the art.

Screen recordings 240 may include recordings of screens (e.g.,information displayed to customer service representatives interactingwith the user or other data displayed to or viewed by a customer servicerepresentative using a graphical user interface (GUI)) that were made orcreated when applications 280 or 281 were used. For example, a sessioninvolving a customer and an agent (e.g. a call center worker, customerservice representative, etc.) using application 280 may be recorded bycontinuously recording screens displayed by application 280.Accordingly, screen recordings 240 may include any or all graphical datapresented by application 280 when executed and/or interacted with.Recorded interactions 230 may be any recordings, e.g., an audiorecording of a telephone call, a recording of a chat session and thelike. Association unit 215 may be, or may include components ofcomputing device 100, e.g., a controller 105 and a memory 120.

Storage system 220 may be similar to storage system 130 describedherein. In some embodiments, storage 220 may be, or may include adatabase as known in the art, recorded interactions 230, screenrecordings 240, an association list 250, screen metadata 270 and usermetadata 260 may all be stored in the database.

User metadata 260 may be, or may include any data or information of, orpertaining to, users. For example, user metadata 260 may include, foreach of a large number of customers or users, a user's name, a user'stelephone number, a user's home address, a user's email address, auser's SSN, a user's account ID and the like. Using a database as knownin the art, a value identifying a user may be used to retrieve from adatabase all information related to the user. For example, using acustomer ID value of a customer or user, the SSN, name, home address andthe like may all be retrieved from user metadata 260 in a database(e.g., in storage system 220).

Screen metadata 270 may include data and information related to screensdisplayed by applications 280 and 281. For example, screen metadata 270may include an image of a header and/or an image or value of a specificfield in a screen (e.g., an image and value of a “Customer ID” field asdescribed herein). Data in screen metadata 270 may be used in order toidentify the application that produced a screen recoding as furtherdescribed herein.

Association list 250 may include data and/or information thatassociates, assigns or links recorded interactions included in recordedinteractions 230 with users. Association list 250 may include dataand/or information that associates users with screen recordings includedin screen recordings 240. For example, a list or other construct mayassign a recorded interaction to a user.

Association list 250 may include data and/or information that associatesrecorded interactions included in recorded interactions 230 with screenrecordings included in screen recordings 240. For example, an entry orrow in association list 250 may include a user a unique ID value (e.g.,an SSN or Customer ID) that uniquely identifies a user and the entry orrow may further include a reference to a recorded interaction inrecorded interactions 230 thus, the user may be associated with therecorded interaction or the recorded interaction may be assigned to theuser. An entry or row in association list 250 may include any dataidentifying, or related to, a user, caller or customer, and may furtherinclude references to screen recordings related to the user and areference to metadata of the user (e.g., in user metadata 260). It willbe understood that association list 250 (and its use as describedherein) is a simplified example and that other configurations, systemsor methods may be used in order to associate, assign or link users,screen recordings and interaction recordings as described herein. Forexample, linked lists, references or pointers and/or database structuresand logic as known in the art may be used in order to associate a userwith a recorded interaction and/or associate a unique ID value of a userwith a recorded interaction and/or with a screen recording.

In some embodiments, a system and method may associate or link a user(or information of the user) with one or more recorded interactions. Forexample, after identifying a user based on a screen recording, theidentified user may be associated with an audio recording of a telephonecall involving the user and an agent in a contact center. As described,in some embodiments, a system and method may use a screen recording todetermine or resolve an identity of a user, customer, or end-user, andmay further associate the user, customer, or end-user with recordedinteractions. For example, association unit 215 may obtain a recordingof an interaction with a user from recorded interactions 230 and ascreen recording related to the interaction, extract or determine, fromthe screen recording, a unique ID value related to or identifying theuser and resolve or determine an identity of the user using theextracted unique ID value. For example, extracting or determining aunique ID may include using optical character recognition (OCR) or othertechniques as known in the art. Resolving or determining an identity ofa user may include finding and/or retrieving some or all the informationof the user from user metadata 260. Association unit 215 may associatethe user with a recorded interaction by associating the unique ID valuewith the interaction, for example, by recording, in association list 250the unique ID value and a pointer, reference or identifier of arecording of the interaction.

In some embodiments, a method or flow may include a configuration stageor phase during which a user may configure a system such that data orinformation usable for identifying a user can be extracted from screenrecordings related to an application. For example, a screen may berelated to an application that was used when the recording was made. Forexample, if a first screen recording included in screen recordings 240was made, created or captured while an agent was using application 280and a second screen recording included in screen recordings 240 wasmade, created or captured while an agent was using application 281 thenthe first screen recording may be related to application 280 and thesecond screen recording may be related to application 281. A screenrecording as referred to herein may be as known in the art, e.g.,include one or more screenshots of screens displayed by an applicationwhen the application is executed or interacted with. For example, ascreen recording may include an array or set of screenshots usable fordisplaying or reproducing, on a computer monitor or display, a set ofscreens displayed by the application. A screen recording or a screenshotof a screen as referred to herein may be, or may include, a bitmap, anarray or set of values or parameters of, or representing pixels, or anyother information, data or parameter that may represent a screenproduced by an application and/or usable to present or reproduce thescreen. In some embodiments, a GUI configuration tool (e.g., providedby, or included in, association unit 215) may receive, from a user, anindication of a location of a unique ID value in a screen presented byan application. For example, a GUI tool may present, to a user oradministrator, a screenshot of a screen displayed by application 280 andthe user may mark, in the screenshot, a field, an element or a region.The GUI tool may record (e.g., in screen metadata 270) the screen andthe element, field or region in the screen such that the marked orindicated element, field or region can be used in order to processscreen recordings as described herein.

Reference is made to FIG. 3 that shows an exemplary screenshot 300 of ascreen displayed by an application. For example, screenshot 300 may bepresented or displayed by application 281 when executed or used by anagent in a contact center. As shown, screenshot 300 may include a form360 that includes a large number of graphical objects or elements,fields and entries, including a header 320 element and a “Customer ID”330 element that may be any suitable field, entry, parameter or value.For example and as shown, the “Customer ID” value may be “54925”.According to some embodiments, some of the objects, elements, fieldsand/or entries may include a label and a value. For example, the“Customer ID” portion or box in element “Customer ID” 330 may be a labeland the “54925” portion or box in element “Customer ID” 330 may be avalue.

For example, a customer's ID value of “54925” may uniquely identify aspecific or particular customer or user in a contact center and mayaccordingly be used as a unique ID value for that specific user. Forexample, automated systems automatically assign unique customer IDvalues to callers, customers or users.

An embodiment may analyze a frame (e.g., an image or otherrepresentation of a screen shown to a user at one moment in time) in ascreen recording, e.g., screenshot 300 may be a frame in a screenrecording that is analyzed by association unit 215. Based on analyzing aframe, an embodiment may determine whether or not the frame includes apredefined portion of, or, a predefined screen. For example, associationunit 215 may determine whether or not a screenshot or frame includes aknown or predefined header as described herein.

If an embodiment determines that an analyzed or processed frame does notinclude a predefined or searched for portion of a predefined screen thenan embodiment may analyze or process an additional frame of a screenrecording. If an embodiment determines that an analyzed or processedframe includes a predefined or searched for portion of a predefinedscreen then an embodiment may extract a unique ID value from the frame.For example, a predefined or searched for portion of a screen may be aheader as described herein, however, it will be understood that anyportion of a screen may be searched for. For example, a specific patternin a predefined area or region of a screen may be searched for, or aspecific pattern, element or graphical element may be searched for inframes of a screen recording. Accordingly, a specific screen displayedby an application may be found in a set of frames and a unique ID valuemay be extracted from a frame that includes the specific or searched forscreen or portion. For example, a portion of a screen (or metadatarelated to a screen) that can be used in order to identify a screen (oridentify an application that produces the screen) may be stored and usedin order to determine whether or not a frame was produced by a specificapplication.

In some embodiments, in order to determine or identify the applicationrelated to a screenshot or screen recording, a header may be identifiedand stored or recorded. For example, a user may mark header 320 (e.g.,by drawing a rectangle around header 320 using a GUI tool as describedherein) and, based on the user's marking or input, an image of header320 may be stored (e.g., in screen metadata 270).

A system and method according to some embodiments of the invention mayuse a stored header (or image of a header) in order to determine whetheror not a screen recording is related to a specific application. Forexample, assuming the screen shown by screenshot 300 is produced ordisplayed by application 281, an image that includes header 320 as shownby block 340 may be stored in screen metadata 270 and may be used inorder to identify screens produced by application 281.

For example, a system and method according to some embodiments of theinvention may search for header 320 (e.g., using image 340) in screenrecordings 240 and, if header 320 is found in a screen recording, asystem and method according to some embodiments of the invention mayassociate the screen recording with the application that produced thescreen shown by screenshot 300 (e.g., application 281). An element,object or region that may be used to uniquely identify a user may bemarked by a user and may be stored. For example, an image that includesa customer ID as shown by block 350 may be stored in screen metadata 270and a value of the customer ID may be used in order to uniquely identifya user.

In some embodiments, a GUI configuration tool may be used in order toreceive, from a user, a mark, a type, an indication or any otherinformation, attributes or metadata related to a unique ID parameter,field or value, presented in a screen of an application. For example, alocation of a unique ID parameter (e.g., relative coordinates), a typeof a unique ID parameter (e.g., a type of “SSN”, “NAME”, string, numericetc.) and a value (e.g., a number or string) may be received from a userand may be used, e.g., in order to detect a unique ID parameter field orvalue, presented in a screen of an application as described herein.

A type of a field or element in a screen may be provided by a user. Forexample, using a GUI tool, a user may draw a rectangle around an elementin a form (e.g. header 320) and may further use a pulldown menu toselect an element type (e.g., the type “Header” may be selected forheader 320). Other attribute for a marked element may be selected orset. Based on input from a user, in some embodiments, a system andmethod may store an image (or partial screenshot) of header 320 of, orin, the screen shown by screenshot 300, and use the header image inorder to identify screen recordings of the application. For example, inorder to find screen recordings of, or related to, the application thatproduces or displays the screen shown by screenshot 300, in someembodiments, a system and method may store an image of header 320, mayexamine a set of screen recordings 240 and, if header 320 is identifiedin a screen recording, in some embodiments, a system and method maydetermine that the screen recording is related to the application thatpresents or displays the screen shown by screenshot 300. Accordingly, auser may teach a system and method according to some embodiments of theinvention how to track valuable information in a screen displayed by anapplication and/or how to associate a screen recording with anapplication.

It will be understood that a system and method according to embodimentsof the invention may be applicable to any application that displays orpresents graphical data, objects or screens. For example, theapplication that presents the screen shown by screenshot 300 (e.g., oneof applications 280 and 281) may be a web (e.g., via the Internet andbrowsers) application, a desktop application or any application as knownin the art. It is noted that since identification of the relevantapplication (e.g., using a header image as described) and identificationof the user whose data is presented in a screen may be done using imageand/or graphic analytic processes and, therefore, a system and methodaccording to embodiments of the invention may be indifferent to the typeof application whose screens are analyzed or processed as described.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, a system and method may track relevantattributes in screenshots or screen recordings of an application. Forexample, a header may be tracked or identified in screen recordings anda parameter or value that uniquely identifies a user may be tracked oridentified in screen recordings.

Association unit 215 may review or examine recorded interactions 230 andmay categorize them into two types: ones that are associated with screenrecordings, and others that are not. For example, in some cases, adatabase may include information that associates a screen recording(e.g., included in screen recordings 240) with a voice or interactionrecording or with a recorded interaction (e.g., included in recordedinteractions 230). For example, a system in a contact center may recorda conversation of an agent with a customer, may record the screen of theagent and may store information in a database that links or associatesthe recorded interaction and the screen recording, e.g., using lists,tales or references as known in the art. A screen recording may be asknown in the art, e.g., it may be a set of frames, snapshots orscreenshots of a screen. A recording of an interaction may be voicerecording as known in the art.

For example, association unit 215 may identify, in recorded interactions230 the recorded interactions that are associated with screen recordingsin screen recordings 240. For example, when a recording of a telephoneinteraction is stored in storage system 220, if a screen recordingrelated to the interaction is made or is available, an association list(e.g., one similar to association list 250) or other data or methods maybe used in order to associate or link the recording of the telephoneinteraction with a screen recording. For example, as known in the art,in some embodiments, a system and method may record a telephone call andthe screen of an agent and may store the recorded call and recordedscreen activity such that they are associated or linked (e.g., usinglinked lists, pointers or database management data as known in the art).It is noted that interactions (of any type) can be captured and recordedwith or without screen activities. For example, voice interaction: anagent can provide voice service to an end-user while the agent's screenactivity is recorded. On the other hand, a different agent can providevoice service to an end-user while his screen activity is currently notrecorded, for any reason. In some embodiments, finding the recordedinteractions that also have (or are associated with) screen recordingsmay be done by querying a database as known in the art. For example, adatabase in a contact center may enable using a number, a name, or otherID of an interaction in order to be provided with any data related tothe interaction, included a recording of a screen of the agent whoparticipated in the interaction.

Association unit 215 may examine a screen recording that is associatedwith a recorded interaction and may identify or determine thatapplication that produced or displayed the screen included in the screenrecording. For example, using image 340, association unit 215 mayidentify that header 320 is included in a screen recording and, using atable, may determine that application 281 is the application thatproduced the screens in a screen recording. For example, a list mayassociate header 320 with application 281, accordingly, upon identifyingheader 320 in a screen recording, association unit 215 may readilyassociated or link the screen recording with application 281.

Possibly after determining or identifying the relevant application,association unit 215 may search for a parameter or value that uniquelyidentifies a user. For example, screen metadata 270 may include anassociation between header 320 and customer ID 330 such that ifassociation unit 215 determines that a screen recording includes header320 then association unit 215 known it needs to search for customer ID330.

For example, association unit 215 may play-back a screen recording asknown in the art, examine or analyze the screens displayed, maydetermine that the screen recording includes header 320 and maytherefore search for customer ID 330 in the recorded screen activity.Once the field customer ID 330 is identified in a screen recording, thevalue in the field (e.g., “54925” in the example shown in FIG. 3) may beextracted, e.g., using OCR or other techniques as known in the art. Asdiscussed, a customer ID value may uniquely identify a customer.Accordingly, association unit 215 may associate a specific customer witha screen recording, and, using an association of the screen recordingwith a recording of an interaction (e.g., an audio recording),association unit 215 may associate the customer or user with a recordedinteraction. As described, associating a customer or user with arecorded interaction and/or a screen recording may be, or may include,updating an association list such as association list 250.

Reference is made to FIG. 4 which shows an overview of a system 400 andflows according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Asshown, a system 400 may include a tracking interactions unit 410, aresolving and association unit 420, an analytic engine 430, a storagesystem 465 that may include a database 450 and a network-attachedstorage (NAS) 460. Storage system 465 may be, may be included in, or mayinclude storage system 130. For example, database 450 may includestorage system 130 and a database management system (DBMS) and may storeor include recorded interactions 230, screen recordings 240, associationlist 250, user metadata 260 and/or screen metadata 270. NAS 460 may be,or may include any network storage system as known in the art and mayinclude or store screen recordings screen recordings 240 or other data.

Each of: tracking interactions unit 410, resolving and association unit420, and analytic engine 430 may be, or may include components of,computing device 100, e.g., these units may each include a controller105 and a memory 120, or may be executed by one or more processors suchas controller 105. In some embodiments, tracking interactions unit 410,resolving and association unit 420, and analytic engine 430 may beincluded in a single unit, e.g., tracking interactions unit 410,resolving and association unit 420, and analytic engine 430 may beincluded in association unit 215, accordingly, any operations carriedout by tracking interactions unit 410, resolving and association unit420, and analytic engine 430 may be carried out by association unit 215.Accordingly, methods according to embodiments of the invention may becarried out by a system, device or article that includes a controllerand memory, e.g., controller 105 and memory 120.

Tracking interactions unit 410 may fetch, from database 450, relevantinteractions, e.g., recorded interactions that are associated withavailable screen recordings. For example, tracking interactions unit 410may query database 450 and request recorded interactions for whichscreen recordings are available. As described, when a recording of aninteraction between an agent and a user or customer (e.g., recording ofa telephone call) is stored in database 450, if a recording of screenactivity (screen recording) of the agent is made and available, thescreen recording may be stored in database 450 in association with thestored recorded interaction, e.g., using pointers, references or othermethods used by databases as known in the art. Accordingly, trackinginteractions unit 410 may receive from database 450 recordedinteractions and, for each recorded interaction, tracking interactionsunit 410 receive from database 450 a screen recording related to theinteraction.

Tracking interactions unit 410 may send the interactions retrieved fromdatabase 450 as described to Analytic engine 430. Analytic engine 430may fetch screen recordings from a storage, e.g., from NAS 460 as shownor from any other storage (e.g., from storage 220 as described. Analyticengine 430 may process the screen recording and may search for relevantapplication/windows appearance on the screen. For example, usinginformation in screen metadata 270, Analytic engine 430 may search forheader 320 in screen recordings. When identifying a header in a screenrecording, Analytic engine 430 may search for a specific attribute,parameter or identifier in a screen recording. For example, informationin screen metadata 270 may include or indicate that if header 320 isfound then the application that produces the screens is application 281and the unique user identifier is customer ID 330 that may be found atspecific coordinates within a screen displayed by application 281 or mayinclude a pattern such as “Customer ID”.

An output or result from analytic engine 430 may be provided toresolving and association unit 420. For example, an output provided byanalytic engine 430 to solving and association unit 420 may include aunique user identifier (e.g., an SSN or a customer ID such as the valueof “54925”). Association unit 420 may update metadata in storage 465.For example, Association unit 420 may update an association list 250 orany other data structure usable for storing or including data thatassociates a user with recorded interactions and/or with screenrecordings.

Recorded interactions to be processed, e.g., in attempt to be associatedwith users, may be selected based on various conditions or configurationparameters. For example, database 450 may include or store thousands ofrecorded interactions and tracking interaction unit 410 may selectrecorded interactions for examination or processing based on conditionsor rules provided by a user. For example, tracking interaction unit 410may receive a date and time frame value (e.g., Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015,09:00 until 18:00) and may select for processing only recordings ofinteractions that occurred in the specified time value. Trackinginteraction unit 410 may select for examination only recordings ofinteractions that are associated with screen recordings. For example, alist in, or query to, database 450 may be used in order to determinewhether or not a screen recoding was made for an interaction that wasrecorded, e.g., whether or not an audio recording of a conversation wasmade for a conversation of an agent with a client and, in addition, arecording of screen activities on the agent's screen was made, andaccordingly, both a recording of the interaction and a recording of ascreen related to the interaction are available. Tracking interactionunit 410 may select for processing only interactions that are notassociated with a user or customer (e.g., since associating suchinteractions may be redundant).

Analytic engine 430 may receive a screen recording (and an associatedrecording of an interaction) as input and may render, in a memory,screens captured in the screen recording to create frames that mayinclude screenshots or bitmaps as known in the art. In order to improvespeed and efficiency, analytic engine 430 may play back (or process)frames at a low rate or time resolution, for example 1 frame per second.By making the low rate compromise, analytic engine 430 may be able toprocess a larger number of interactions per time unit. For example,analytic engine 430 may retrieve or receive from NAS 460 a stream of ascreen recording, e.g., in the form of packets, convert the stream intoframes (e.g., using a screen renderer unit) and analyze the frames.

For example, using information in screen metadata 270 that defines alocation and/or size of a graphical element in a screen, and/or apattern to be matched or found in a screen (e.g., the location, sizeand/or pattern of header 320), analytic engine 430 may determine whetheror not an element is present or included in a screen (or a screenshot ofa screen rendered in memory). It will be understood that screen metadata270 may include any data or information usable for identifying screensand elements in screens as described herein. For example, informationusable in order to identify or detect the customer ID element 330 in ascreen, a bitmap of that element or a pattern of the text “Customer ID”may be stored in screen metadata 270. For example, In order to identifythe header element 320 in a screen shown by screenshot 300, attributessuch as a color frequency or histogram may be stored in screen metadata270. For example, when analyzing a frame of a screen recording, analyticengine 430 may first determine whether a specific percentage of pixelsin a region specified by a rectangle drawn by a user as described areblue and may quickly determine that a screenshot or frame being analyzedis not of application 281, e.g., since most of the pixel in the regionof header 320 are yellow and not blue as indicated, for screens ofapplication 281, in screen metadata 270. Accordingly, any system andmethod may be used by embodiments of the invention in order to identifyscreens and associate them with a user. For example and as described,pattern matching may be used in order to identify the application thatproduced an analyzed screen (or screenshot representing a screen) and,once the application is identified, information in screen metadata 270may indicate or be used in order to locate a unique ID value related tothe user included in the screen. For example, having determined thatheader 320 is included or present in a screenshot or frame producedbased in a screen recording, analytic engine 430 may determine that theapplication that produced the screens in the screen recording isapplication 281. Analytic engine 430 may search screen metadata 270 fordata related to application 281 and may find that a unique ID value of auser is the customer ID 330 element. Information in screen metadata 270may include any information needed by analytic engine 430 in order toextract the value of the customer ID element. For example, informationrelated to application 281 may include a location and size of customerID 330 element, a pattern in this element, a color of the element andthe like.

A system and method according to some embodiments may search for apredefined form in a screen recording. A form may be or may be includedin, a screen presented or displayed by an application. Generally, a formmay be a screen displayed by an application where the screen displaysinformation and possibly enables a user to input information. Forexample, the screen shown by screenshot 300 may be or may include a formas shown in FIG. 3. A form may be searched for in a screen recording andspecific elements in the form (e.g., header 320 and customer ID 330) maybe searched for and/or identified.

In some cases, the size or scale of a screen or form may vary or it maynot be known in advance. For example, a form may be displayed infull-screen mode as known in the art, e.g., the form may cover or occupyan entire screen or monitor or the form may only be displayed on aportion of the screen or monitor, e.g., when the size of the window thatincludes the form is decreased, e.g., made to cover only a portion of adisplay screen as known in the art.

Logic executed by association unit 215 or analytic engine 430 asdescribed herein may be robust with respect to different transformationsof a form in the frame. For example, a form may have a different size orlocation within a frame or screenshot. In some embodiments, a system andmethod may calculate a ratio between a height and width of an element asdefined or included in screen metadata 270 and the height and width ofthe element as identified or found in a screen recording or screenshotand use the ratio in order to determine or calculate the dimensions of aform cropped from an image.

Reference is made to FIG. 5 that graphically illustrates identifying aform and elements in the form in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention. Since, as discussed, the size of a form as captured in ascreen recording may not be known in advance, some logic may be used inorder to identify and/or characterize a form and elements in a form.

In some embodiments, an input to a method or system may include an imagethat includes a form and metadata related to the form and/or to elementsin the form. For example, screen 505 may be an image (of a screen) thatincludes form 510.

Metadata that may be provided as input by, or retrieved from screenmetadata 270 may include the height and width of the form and ofelements in the form. For example, the dimensions of header 320 asobtained from screen metadata 270 (denoted in FIG. 5 as {Element_Height,Element_Width}) may be provided as input. For example, Element_Heightmay be as shown by height 520 and Element_Width may be as shown by width530.

The dimensions of form 510 as obtained from screen metadata 270 (denotedin FIG. 5 as {Form_Height, Form_Width}) may be provided as input to asystem and method according to embodiments of the invention. Forexample, Form_Height may be as shown by height 540 and Form_Width may beas shown by width 530. It is noted that FIG. 5 shows a case where thewidth of an element in a form and width of the form are the same.

In some cases, {Element_Height, Element_Width} may be the dimensions ofheader 320 as recorded in a configuration stage as described, e.g.,based on a display of header 320 in full-screen mode as shown in FIG. 3,accordingly, when presented in a smaller window as shown in FIG. 5, thedimensions of header 320 may be different and a scaling may be requiredin order to properly identify elements in form 510, e.g., identifyheader 320 and the customer ID field 330. Similarly, the dimensions ofform 510 as recorded in screen metadata 270 may be as identified whenform 510 was displayed in full-screen mode as shown in FIG. 3.

Using pattern matching or other image processing techniques known in theart, analytic engine 430 or association unit 215 may search for form 510in screen or image 505. If a form is found in an image, the form may becropped from the image as known in the art and the cropped form may beprovided as output of a method or system. A system and method accordingto some embodiments of the invention may provide (e.g., association unit215), as output, the dimensions of the cropped form (denoted herein as{Form_Height′, Form_Width′ }).

For example, the dimensions (height and width) of form 510 may becalculated by:

R _(X)=Element_Width′/Element_Width

R _(Y)=Element_Height′/Element_Height

Form_Height′=Form_Height*R _(Y)

Form_Width′=Element_Width′=Form_Width*R _(X)

Where Element_Width′ is the width of an element as measured oridentified in a cropped form (e.g., as shown by width 530),Element_Width is the width of an element as received from screenmetadata 270 (e.g., the width of header 320 as shown in FIG. 3),Form_Height is the height of a form received from screen metadata 270(e.g., the width of form 360) and Form_Width is the width a form asreceived from screen metadata 270 (e.g., the height of form 360). Thedimensions of a form, e.g., {Form_Height′, Form_Width′} as respectivelyshown by 560 and 570 may be provided as output together with a croppedportion of an image which matches the form (e.g., a cropped portion ofimage 505 that includes form 510).

Dimensions of a field, attribute or element in a form cropped from animage may be calculated. A field as referred to herein may include botha label (e.g., “Customer ID”) and a value (e.g., the value “54925”). Asdescribed, a system and method according to some embodiments of theinvention may determine dimensions of a field in a cropped image andextract a value from the field.

Reference is made to FIG. 6 which illustrates a method according toembodiments of the present invention. A system and method according tosome embodiments of the invention may receive, as input, a croppedportion of an image that includes a form having a width 570 and height560 as shown, e.g., a cropped form as produced by association unit 215as described herein. In some embodiments, a system and method mayreceive, as input, an image of an attribute, entry, field or elementincluded in the form. For example, an image and attributes of the fieldor attribute “Customer ID” 330 in form 360 may be obtained from screenmetadata 270. For example, an image of the “Customer ID” 330 field, itsvalue and its dimensions may be stored in screen metadata 270 during aconfiguration or setup stage as described. As shown, dimensions of anattribute or field provided as input may include the field's width 610(including the label and value) and the field's height 620 (respectivelydenoted in FIG. 6 as Field_Width and Field_Height).

In order to calculate or determine the dimensions of a field and itsvalue in a form cropped from an image, R_(X) and R_(Y) calculated asdescribed above may be used. For example, the width of the “Customer ID”330 field in form 510 may be smaller than the width of the “Customer ID”330 field or entry as stored in screen metadata 270 during setup phase.Similarly, the height of the “Customer ID” 330 field or entry in form510 cropped from image 505 may be smaller than the height of the“Customer ID” 330 field or entry as stored in screen metadata 270.Accordingly, scaling may be required prior to extraction of a value in afield or entry.

A system and method according to some embodiments of the invention mayscale dimensions of field or entry in a cropped form based on thedimensions of the cropped form and based on the dimensions of the fieldor entry as obtained from screen metadata 270.

For example, the actual width of the “Customer ID” 330 field and itsvalue in cropped form 510 as shown by width 640, and the actual heightof the “Customer ID” 330 field in cropped form 510 as shown by height630 may be calculated as follows:

Field_Height′=Field_Height*R _(Y)

Field_Width′=Field_Width*R _(X)

Where Field_Height and Field_Width are the height and width of a fieldor entry as recorded in screen metadata 270 and Field_Height′ andField_Width′ are the actual height and width of the field in a croppedimage.

In order to extract a value of a field or entry, a system and methodaccording to some embodiments of the invention may identify the P_(X)and P_(Y) coordinates that define the top left corner of a field, entryor pattern in the cropped form image, e.g., as shown by coordinates orpoint 651. An embodiment may identify the PValX and PValY coordinatesthat define the top left corner of a value in a field or pattern in thecropped form image, e.g., as shown by coordinates or point 652. Theportion or region, in a field, that contains or includes the actualvalue in a field may be calculated by:

PValX=PX+Label_Width′

PValY=PY

Val_Height=Field_Height′

Val_Width=Field_Width′−Label_Width′

Where Label_Width′ is the width of a label in a field (e.g., “CustomerID” in field or entry 330), Val_Height is the height of the value in afield (e.g., the portion or region that includes the “54925” value) andVal_Width is the width of the value element, which, in the currentexample illustrated in FIG. 6 is same as the width of the fieldcontaining it.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, PX and PY are shown by point orcoordinates 651, PValX and PValY are shown by point or coordinates 652,Val_Height and Field_Height′ are shown by height 630, Label_Width′ isthe horizontal distance between points or coordinates 651 and 652 andVal_Width is the horizontal distance between points or coordinates 652and 653. Accordingly, a location and dimension of a value in a field maybe identified, determined and/or calculated and the value may beextracted. For example, having identified the location, size and shapeof a value (or box containing the value) as described, association unit215 may use OCR or other methods as known in the art in order to extracta numeric or textual value from a region, in a screen recording, or in aframe or image as described, that contains, represents, or includes thevalue, e.g., in graphical form. Extraction of a value may includeassociating an extracted value with a confidence level or probability asknown in the art. If a confidence level of an extracted value is higherthan a threshold, an embodiment may use the extracted value in order toidentify a user, otherwise, the value may be discarded and additionalimages or screenshots in a screen recording may be processed in order toextract a value as described. An output of association unit 215 mayinclude an extracted value as described, e.g., the number “54925”, anidentification of the screen recording from which the value wasextracted and/or an identification of an associated interactionrecording. For example, each recorded interaction included in recordedinteractions 230 and each screen recording included in screen recordings240 may be assigned, or associated with, an ID. For example, an ID(e.g., set by a DBMS when a recording is stored in it) may be used inorder to uniquely identify and/or retrieve a recording as known in theart. A value extracted as described may be used as a unique ID value fora user. For example, the value “54925” may uniquely identify a customerof a contact center. A unique ID of a user (e.g., based on a unique IDvalue), recorded interaction ID and recorded screen ID may be used inorder to associate a user to recorded interactions and/or to screenrecordings. Accordingly, having determined or resolved the identity of auser (e.g., using a unique ID value), an embodiment may associate theuser with a recorded interaction (e.g., using the interaction's ID). Forexample, an entry or row in association list may be updated or createdsuch that it includes a customer ID value, a recorded interaction IDand/or a screen recording ID thus associating the user with a recordedinteraction and/or with a screen recording.

According to some embodiments, a unique ID value that uniquelyidentifies a user, customer or any other entity may be used in order toobtain information related to the user or customer. For example and asknown in the art, a query to a database that includes a unique ID valueof a person may be responded, by the database, by providing informationrelated to the person, e.g., the person's, SSN, account ID, emailaddress, telephone number, home address or any other information storedin the database.

Resolving or determining the identity of a user may include using avalue extracted from a screen recording as described as a unique IDvalue in a query to a database and thus obtaining information of, orrelated to, the user, e.g., account ID, telephone number and the like.

Generally, a response from a database to a query as described may eitherinclude information for the user as described or an indication that theuser does not exist in the database, e.g., the unique ID value isinvalid or unknown to the database. If the user does not exist in thedatabase, association unit 215 may create a user with the unique IDvalue in the database. For example, if a query for a user with customerID of “54925” is responded with “user does not exist” then associationunit 215 may create, in a database, a new user with a customer ID of“54925”. As described, association unit 215 may update association list250 or any other data object such that a user is associated withrecorded interactions and/or with screen recordings. For example, a rowor entry in association list 250 may be created or updated to include acustomer ID value of “54925”, an identification, pointer or referencevalue that identifies a screen recoding (e.g., a full path and name of afile that includes the screen recoding, e.g., a file that includes anarray of images) and an identification, pointer or reference value thatidentifies a recorded interaction (e.g., a full path and name of a filethat includes a recording of the interaction, e.g., a file that includesdigital representation of audio signals).

Accordingly, an association of a user with a screen recording may berealized, e.g., given a customer ID value, all the screen recordingsincluded in screen recordings 240 may be found in association list 250and, therefore, readily retrieved from storage 220. It is noted thatassociation list 250 may associate a user with any number of screenrecordings and/or recorded interactions. For example, a row or entry ofa user in association list 250 may be dynamically extended to includereferences to a plurality of screen recordings.

In some embodiments identifying elements, labels and values may be basedon user input. For example, a GUI tool may present to a user ascreenshot, image or form as displayed by an application. For example,screenshot 300 or form 360 may be displayed by a GUI tool. A user mayselect the application that produces the form. For example, a user mayidentify form 360 as a form displayed by application 280 when executedand may therefore select, e.g., from a pulldown menu, application 280 asthe relevant application. The selected application may be stored in adatabase in association with the form or screenshot. Other methods maybe used in order to associate a form with an application.

A user may select a header in the form. For example, header 320 isselected, marked and/or indicated as a header. An image of a selected orindicated header may be stored in association with the form orscreenshot and/or relevant application. Attributes of a form and headermay be stored, e.g., relative location in a screenshot, height, width,shape and the like may all be stored, e.g. in screen metadata 270 asdescribed. A user may mark a specific element in a form presented by aGUI tool, e.g., as described with reference to element 330.

Reference is made to FIG. 7 which schematically illustrates a methodaccording to embodiments of the present invention. As shown, an image700 of an element may be presented to a user. A user may use a markingtool to mark the area that contains a value of the element as shown byvalue 710 and to mark a label of the element as shown by value 720. Atype of a marked area, e.g., a type of “Label” or of “Value” may be setby a user and may be saved, in association with other data related tothe element or form, e.g., in screen metadata 270. A user may furthermark or indicate a width and height of an element as respectively shownby width 730 and height 740. In some embodiments, some of the attributesof an element may be identified or determined automatically, forexample, the height and width of element 700 may be identified usingimage processing techniques as known in the art. The type of element maybe saved, e.g., a type of “Customer ID” or “SSN” may be chosen or set bya user and may be saved, e.g., in screen metadata 270. It will beunderstood that any information related to a form or element asdescribed herein may be stored such that all information related to aform or element may be readily retrieved, e.g., using a query thatincludes a form ID, element ID etc. Accordingly, it will be understoodthat components of a system or method according to embodiments of theinvention may readily obtain any information stored for a form orelement as described herein.

As described herein, embodiments of the invention address thecomputer-centric challenge of associating recorded screen interactionsand recorded interactions with users. For example, current systems andmethods do not enable associating past recorded interactions and screenrecordings with users as described.

Reference is made to FIG. 8 which shows a flowchart of a methodaccording to illustrative embodiments of the present invention. As shownby block 810, a recording of an interaction with a user and a screenrecording related to the interaction may be obtained. For example,association unit 215 or tracking interactions unit 410 may scan orexamine files in storage system 220 or in database 450 and/or in storage465 and find recording of an interactions for which a screen recordingsare also found, or stored in, storage system 220 or in database 450and/or in storage 465. As described, in many cases, organizations maystore (or keep) screen recordings of interactions as well as audiorecordings of the interactions, however, although the recorded screenand audio data is stored in a system, the organizations may be unable toassociate or link the screen and audio recordings with specific users.For example, historical screen and audio recordings related tointeractions held months or years ago may be kept in an organization,but may be useless for the organization since, using prior art systemsand methods, the historical recordings cannot be associated withspecific users. As described herein, embodiments of the invention mayenable associating or linking screen and audio recordings with users orcustomers thus enabling an organization to use the screen and audiorecordings, e.g., determine or identify when a call with a specific userwas held, what was discussed, with the specific user in the call and soon. In some embodiments, association unit 215 or tracking interactionsunit 410 may scan or examine files in storage system and select forprocessing only recorded interactions (e.g., audio recordings ofinteractions) for which screen recordings are also found. For example, asystem that records voice interactions may store a recorded voiceinteraction in a file with a specific name and may further store ascreen recording related to the interaction in a file with a similarname, accordingly, in order to find or identify interactions for whichboth voice recordings and screen recordings exist, a file namingconvention may be used. For example, a recording of a conversation of acustomer with an agent (who is using a computer) may be stored in a filewhose name includes a unique string generated by a recording system, anda recording of the screen of the agent (e.g., a recording of whateverwas displayed on the agent's screen during the conversation) may bestored, by the recording the system, in another file whose name alsoincludes the unique string. Any other methods may be used in order toidentify recorded interactions for which a recording of an agent'sscreen can be found or located and association unit 215 or trackinginteractions unit 410 may use any system or method known in the art inorder to identify or select for processing interactions for which bothrecoded audio and a screen can be found in a storage system.

As shown by block 815, a unique ID value related to the user may beextracted from a screen recording. For example, screenshot 300 may be aframe included in a screen recording and analytic engine 430 orassociation unit 215 may (possibly using metadata as described) identifythe “Customer ID” field as a unique ID field. Analytic engine 430 orassociation unit 215 may identify the label portion of a field orportion in a screen, e.g., identify label 720 as shown by FIG. 7.Analytic engine 430 or association unit 215 may identify a value portionin a field or entry, e.g., identify value 710 as shown by FIG. 7.Analytic engine 430 or association unit 215 may extract or obtain, froma screenshot or frame, a unique ID value for a customer or user. Forexample, in the exemplary case shown by FIG. 7, the value of “54925” maybe extracted and may be used as a unique ID value. As described, acustomer ID may be associated with, or given to, customers such that itis unique and no two customers share the same customer ID, accordingly,a customer ID value such as “54925” may uniquely identify one specificuser or customer. A unique ID value provided by analytic engine 430 orassociation unit 215 may be provided to and/or used by, any component insystems 200 or 400 as described.

As shown by block 820, an identity of a user may be resolved using anextracted unique ID value. Resolving an identity of a user may generallyinclude obtaining information related to the user e.g., demographicinformation stored in a local database or information in the internet,shopping or call history and the like. For example, a query thatincludes a customer ID value of “54925” may be sent to database 450 orNAS 460 (e.g., by resolving and association unit 420) and a response tothe query may include the customer's name, age, gender, telephonenumber, shopping and call history or any other record or informationthat identifies the customer. Accordingly, the user's identity may beresolved or determined using a unique ID value.

As shown by block 825, a user may be associated with a recordedinteraction based on a unique ID value. For example, trackinginteractions unit 410 may search database 450 for interaction recordingsthat are associated with screen recordings. For example, based on a timestamp, a naming convention or information in a database stored by anapplication that manages storage of recorded interactions and screenrecordings, tracking interactions unit 410 may identify or determinethat a specific recorded interaction is related or linked to a specificscreen recording. It is noted that while a link or connection between ascreen recording and a recorded interaction may be determined usingknown systems and methods, known systems and methods cannot determine oridentify the user (or caller or customer) who participated in theinteraction based on the link between the recorded interaction and thescreen recording. As known in the art, many organizations keep masses ofrecorded interactions and screen recordings but are unable to associatethese recordings with users, callers or customers. As described herein,embodiments of the invention enable associating historical or oldrecorded interactions and screen recordings with customers, users orcallers.

For example, a first screen recording included in screen recordings 230that is associated with a first recorded interaction included inrecorded interactions 240 may be processed as described and a unique IDvalue that uniquely identifies the caller (or customer or user) in theinteraction may be obtained as described. As described, the unique IDvalue may be used in order to obtain any information that identifies thecaller (or customer or user) who participated in the interaction. Forexample, a name, home address, email address may be determined using theunique ID value as described. In order to associate the user (orcustomer or caller) with the first recorded interaction, the firstrecorded interaction may be associated with any information related tothe user, e.g., an entry in a database that includes references torecorded interactions of a specific user may be updated to include areference to the first recorded interaction. Associating a user with arecorded interaction may be done as known in the art, e.g., byreferencing a name and path of a file that includes a recordedinteraction in a record of a user in a database. In some embodiments,associating a user with a recorded interaction may be done, or achievedby pointers, linked lists or database objects and logic as known in theart. Generally, associating a user with a recorded interaction mayinclude storing any information that enables finding a recordedinteraction using information related to the user.

The advantages of associating historical interactions with specificusers may be appreciated by those skilled in the art, for example, usingpast interactions to know what a customer requested or complained aboutin the past may enable an organization to better serve the customer.Therefore, embodiments of the invention solve the computer-centricchallenge of using a corpus of recorded interactions by associating theinteractions with users.

For example, output of a system and method according to some embodimentsof the invention may be a list, table or other structure that enablesobtaining screen recordings and/or recorded interactions related to aspecific customer or client. For example, after association unit 215determines that a specific recorded interaction included in recordedinteractions 230 and/or that a specific recorded interactions arerelated to a specific customer, association unit 215 may associate thescreen recording and recorded interaction with the customer (using an IDof the customer as described) and association unit 215 may update adatabase such that, provided with an identification of the customer, anagent or administrator may readily obtain recoded interactions in whichthe customer participated as well as possibly screen recordings madeduring calls or interactions in which the customer participated.Accordingly, the problem of storing masses of recorded interactionsand/or screen recordings that cannot be related to, or associated withcustomers or callers can be solved by some embodiment of the inventionsince, as describe, some embodiments of the invention enable associatingrecorded interactions and/or screen recordings with callers orcustomers. Accordingly, the computer-centric problem of masses ofredundant, or unusable, data (in the form of recorded interactionsand/or screen recordings in which there is no way of telling who theparticipants are) is solved by embodiments of the invention asdescribed.

A unique ID value and information in a database may be used to resolve,determine or identify a unique user identifier of a user. A unique useridentifier may be used in order to associate a recorded interaction withthe user. A unique user identifier may be any value, string or otherdigital information that uniquely identifies a user, e.g., an SSN. Forexample, a unique ID value as described herein may be a unique useridentifier, however, a unique ID value may be used in order to obtain ordetermine a unique user identifier. For example, using the unique IDvalue of “54925”, a unique user identifier of the user, e.g., atelephone number, SSN and the like may be determined or identified(e.g., using the unique ID value in a query to a database as described).

After a recorded interaction is associated with a user, other oradditional recorded interactions may be associated with the user using avoice print that may be generated based on the recorded interaction. Avoice print as known in the art may be a digital object or structurethat includes information and/or logic usable for determining whether ornot a voice of a specific user is included or captured in a recording.For example and as known in the art, a voice print may includecharacteristics of a user's voice that uniquely identify the user.Accordingly, provided with a voice print of a user generated based on afirst recorded interaction, association unit 215 may examine recordedinteractions 230 and find other, or additional recorded interactions inwhich the user is heard and association unit 215 may further associatethe other or additional recorded interactions with the user, e.g., asdescribed herein.

In some embodiments, associating users with recorded interactions andwith screen recordings may be uniform or consistent with respect to theidentification parameter used. For example, it may be desired to use anSSN as the identifier used for associating users with recordedinteractions and screen recordings. For example, rather than associatinga first recorded interaction with a first user using a telephone number(an identifier of a first type), and associating a second recordedinteraction with a second user using an email address (an identifier ofa second type), it may be desired to use a single or same type ofidentifier, e.g., use SSN's for all associations.

As described, to initially associate a user with an interaction, a valueof any unique identifier, of any type, may be used. For example, any of:a customer ID, an SSN and a phone number may be used in order toassociate a screen recording with a user as described. As described,once at least one unique identifier value is determined or obtained,additional or other identifiers of a user may be obtained, e.g., from adatabases as described.

Accordingly, an embodiment may obtain or determine, for a first user, avalue of a first unique user identifier of a first type, e.g., an SSN,and the embodiment may obtain or determine, for a second user, a valueof a second unique user identifier of a second type, e.g., an emailaddress. In some embodiments, the first and second unique useridentifiers (of different types) may be used in order to respectivelyresolve the identities of the first and second users, e.g., asdescribed, and an embodiment may determine and store, for the first andsecond users, a respective first and second unique ID values of the sametype. For example, a customer ID value may be determined for a firstuser and first recorded interaction, an SSN value may be determined fora second user and a second recorded interaction and a value of a commonor same type identifier, e.g., an email address may be determined forthe first and second users and the common or same type identifier may beused to associate the users with interactions as described. Accordingly,an embodiment may enable or provide a simple interface, e.g., clients ofa system and method according to some embodiments of the invention mayuse one type of identifier (e.g., an SSN) in order to receive, from asystem or method, recorded interactions or screen recordings related toa user or customer.

As described herein, a unique ID value related to the user whoparticipated in an interaction may be extracted and used in order toassociate the user with a recorded interaction and/or with a screenrecording. In some embodiments, other entities may be associated with arecorded interaction and/or with a screen recording. For example, usingmetadata (e.g., in screen metadata 270), an application that was used(e.g., by an agent in a contact center) during a call may be identified.For example, a header or other graphical element in a screen may beunique to a specific application, accordingly, the header may beincluded (or represented) in metadata 270 and association unit 215 mayuse information in metadata 270 in order to identify an application thatwas used by an agent during a call. For example, association unit 215may identify all the interactions in recorded interactions 230 and/or inscreen recordings 240 in which a specific application was used by anagent who participated in the interaction. For example, sinceassociation unit 215 may identify all interactions in which a specificapplication was used as described, association unit 215 may present(e.g., in a list) all interactions in which the application was used.

Some embodiments may associate an agent with interactions. For example,a method of associating an agent, representative or other personnel,with an interaction may include: obtaining a recording of an interactionwith a user and a screen recording related to the interaction, e.g., asdescribed herein. A unique ID value related to the agent or otherpersonnel may be extracted from the screen recording, e.g., as describedherein.

An identity of the agent may be resolved using the extracted unique IDvalue. For example, an agent's employee number extracted from a screenrecording may be used in order to identify the agent (e.g., retrieve,from an organization's database, the agent's name, phone extensionnumber etc.). The agent or other personnel may be associated with therecorded interaction based on the unique ID value. For example, sinceassociation unit 215 may identify all interactions in which a specificagent participated as described, association unit 215 may present (e.g.,in a list) all interactions in which the agent participated.

Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein arenot constrained to a particular order in time or chronological sequence.Additionally, some of the described method elements may be skipped, orthey may be repeated, during a sequence of operations of a method.

While certain features of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, tobe understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of theinvention.

Various embodiments have been presented. Each of these embodiments mayof course include features from other embodiments presented, andembodiments not specifically described may include various featuresdescribed herein.

1. A method of associating a user with an interaction, the methodcomprising: obtaining a recording of an interaction with a user and ascreen recording related to the interaction; extracting, from the screenrecording, a unique identification value related to the user;associating the user with the recorded interaction based on the uniqueidentification value.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising: using theunique identification value and information in a database to resolve aunique user identifier of the user; and using the unique user identifierto associate the recorded interaction with the user.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein obtaining the recording of the interaction and thescreen recording includes searching a database for interactionrecordings that are associated with screen recordings.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, comprising: creating a voice print based on the recordedinteraction; and using the voice print to associate additional recordedinteractions with the user.
 5. The method of claim 1, comprising using agraphical user interface (GUI) configuration tool to receive, from auser, an indication of a location of the unique identification value ina screen presented by an application.
 6. The method of claim 1,comprising: obtaining, for a first user, a first unique user identifierof a first type and a obtaining, for a second user, a second unique useridentifier of a second type; using the first and second unique useridentifiers to respectively resolve the identities of the first andsecond users; and determining, for the first and second users, arespective first and second unique identification values, wherein thefirst and second unique identification values are of the same type. 7.The method of claim 1, comprising: analyzing a frame in the screenrecording; determining whether or not the frame includes a predefinedportion of a predefined screen; and if the frame does not include thepredefined portion of a predefined screen then processing an additionalframe of the screen recording, and if the frame includes the predefinedportion of a predefined screen then extracting the unique identificationvalue from the frame.
 8. The method of claim 1, comprising: extracting,from the screen recording, a unique identification value related to anagent; resolving the identity of the agent using the extracted uniqueidentification value; and associating the agent with the recordedinteraction based on the unique identification value.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, comprising: extracting, from the screen recording, a uniqueidentification value related to an application; and associating theapplication with the recorded interaction based on the uniqueidentification value.
 10. The method of claim 1, comprising: resolvingthe identity of the user using the extracted unique identificationvalue; and using the identity to associate the user with the recordedinteraction.
 11. A method of linking a user with an interaction, themethod comprising: obtaining a voice recording of an interaction with auser; obtaining a digital recording of a computer screen output, thedigital recording related to the interaction; extracting, from thedigital recording, a unique value usable for identifying the user; usingthe extracted unique value to resolve the identity of the user; andassociating the user with the recorded interaction by associating theunique value with the interaction.
 12. A system comprising: a memory;and a controller configured to: obtain a recording of an interactionwith a user and a screen recording related to the interaction; extract,from the screen recording, a unique identification value related to theuser; resolve the identity of the user using the extracted uniqueidentification value; and associate the user with the recordedinteraction by associating the unique identification value with theinteraction.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller isconfigured to: use the unique identification value and information in adatabase to resolve a unique user identifier of the user; and use theunique user identifier to associated the recorded interaction with theuser.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein obtaining the recording of theinteraction and the screen recording includes searching a database forinteraction recordings that are associated with screen recordings. 15.The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to: createa voice print based on the recorded interaction; and use the voice printto associate additional recorded interactions with the user.
 16. Thesystem of claim 12, comprising a graphical user interface (GUI)configuration tool usable to receive, from a user, an indication of alocation of the unique identification value in a screen presented by anapplication.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller isconfigured to: obtain, for a first user, a first unique user identifierof a first type and a obtain, for a second user, a second unique useridentifier of a second type; use the first and second unique useridentifiers to respectively resolve the identities of the first andsecond users; and determine, for the first and second users, arespective first and second unique identification values, wherein thefirst and second unique identification values are of the same type. 18.The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to: analyzea frame in the screen recording; determine whether or not the frameincludes a predefined portion of a predefined screen; and if the framedoes not include the predefined portion of a predefined screen thenprocess an additional frame of the screen recording, and if the frameincludes the predefined portion of a predefined screen then extract theunique identification value from the frame.
 19. The system of claim 12,wherein the controller is configured to: extract, from the screenrecording, a unique identification value related to an agent; resolvethe identity of the agent using the extracted unique identificationvalue; and associate the agent with the recorded interaction based onthe unique identification value.
 20. The system of claim 12, wherein thecontroller is configured to: extract, from the screen recording, aunique identification value related to an application; and associate theapplication with the recorded interaction based on the uniqueidentification value.